Orange County’s longtime CEO agreed to resign Thursday amid tumult over his handling of sex charges filed against a Santa Ana City Council member, City News Service reports.
The announcement came a day after a closed-door meeting discussing possible discipline against Tom Mauk was set to continue.
Mauk will step down from his position Aug. 4, according to City News Service. OC CFO Robert Franz will take over as acting CEO.
The councilman at the heart of the scandal, Carlos Bustamante, was arrested before a council meeting on July 2 on several charges, including sexual battery and six felony counts of false imprisonment, police said.
Shortly after Bustamante’s arrest, an emergency closed-door meeting sparked rumors the scandal could ensnare the CEO.
Mauk was hired to the county's highest-ranking non-elected position in 2004. He has held the job longer than anyone since the county went bankrupt in 1994, board chairman John Moorlach told NBC4 in early July.
No disciplinary decisions were made during that meeting. The issue was continued for further discussion on July 24.
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